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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1492 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2198
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Michael J. Barrett
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to convert the state government fleet to electric vehicles.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Michael J. BarrettThird Middlesex 1 of 4
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1492 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2198
By Mr. Barrett, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2198) of Michael J. Barrett for
legislation to convert the state government fleet to electric vehicles. Transportation.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2255 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to convert the state government fleet to electric vehicles.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 448 of the acts of 2016 is hereby amended by inserting after section
26 the following 2 sections:-
3 Section 6A. (a) The Massachusetts Department of Transportation, in consultation with
4the executive office of energy and environmental affairs, the executive office for administration
5and finance and, where appropriate, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority,
6Massachusetts Port Authority and Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, shall create and
7maintain an inventory of motor vehicles owned or leased by the commonwealth and shall plan to
8convert said vehicles to zero-emission vehicles. The inventory shall include a critical
9replacement list consisting of non-zero emission vehicles such that, if the non-zero emission
10vehicle needs to be replaced, replacement with a zero-emission vehicle is operationally feasible 2 of 4
11and results in a positive lifecycle cost benefit. The critical replacement list shall include, but not
12be limited to, vehicles that are approaching the end of their useful lives or are otherwise
13reasonable candidates for replacement and whose replacement presents a high or medium
14priority opportunity for near-term electrification as indicated in the study completed pursuant to
15section 6 and published on December 22, 2017 or any successive analysis or study required by
16law or commissioned by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation or the department of
17energy resources. Not less than every 3 years, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation,
18in consultation with the executive office of energy and environmental affairs and the executive
19office for administration and finance, shall revise and update the analysis of opportunities for
20near-term electrification of vehicles owned, purchased or leased by the commonwealth. For the
21purposes of this section, “commonwealth” shall include, but not be limited to, the Massachusetts
22Bay Transportation Authority, Massachusetts Port Authority and Massachusetts Water Resources
23Authority, but shall not include municipalities, regional school districts and regional transit
24authorities authorized pursuant to chapter 161B. Nothing in this section shall prevent or limit the
25commonwealth from purchasing a zero-emission vehicle for a vehicle or purpose not identified
26on the critical replacement list. For the purposes of this section, “zero-emission vehicle” shall
27mean a motor vehicle that produces no engine exhaust emissions.
28 (b) Not later than January 1, 2025, each purchase or lease by the commonwealth of a
29motor vehicle identified on the critical replacement list under subsection (a) by the
30commonwealth, including, but not limited to, the Massachusetts Port Authority and
31Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, but not including the Massachusetts Bay
32Transportation Authority, municipalities, regional school districts and regional transit authorities
33authorized pursuant to chapter 161B, shall be a zero-emission vehicle. The commonwealth shall 3 of 4
34prioritize the deployment of zero-emission vehicles in underserved communities and
35communities with a high percentage of low-income households. For the purposes of this section,
36“zero-emission vehicle” shall mean a motor vehicle that produces no engine exhaust carbon
37emissions.
38 (c) Not later than 12 months from the effective date of this act, the Massachusetts
39Department of Transportation, in consultation with the department of energy resources and the
40intergovernmental coordinating council established in section 81 of Chapter 179 of the Acts of
412022, shall develop recommendations for the siting of zero-emission vehicle charging facilities
42to serve state-owned or leased zero-emission vehicles and zero-emission passenger buses across
43the commonwealth. The recommendations shall consider locations across the commonwealth,
44including within municipal light plant territories, the benefit and potential cost savings to
45ratepayers of various locations, and whether to allow access to said charging facilities to
46members of the general public.
47 Section 6B. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation, in consultation with the
48department of energy resources, shall conduct, publish and periodically update a study of the
49opportunities for near-term electrification of vehicles owned or leased by municipalities, regional
50school districts and regional transit authorities authorized pursuant to chapter 161B. The study
51shall include, but not be limited to: (a) an analysis of the cost of vehicle electrification,
52associated equipment and supplies and possible methods of meeting such costs, including, but
53not limited to, state financial support, federal financial support and procurements by regional
54planning agencies and other entities made up of local and regional governments; (b)
55recommendations for the allowance within the fleets of non-electric emergency vehicles; and (c)
56opportunities to pair electrification with renewable energy resources, energy storage or demand 4 of 4
57response technology and policy. The Department of Transportation shall publish the study on its
58website not later than 18 months after the effective date of this section and shall thereafter
59publish revisions of the study on its website not less than every 3 years. The study and
60subsequent revisions shall be submitted to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives,
61the joint committee on transportation and the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities
62and energy and posted on the department of energy resource’s website.
63 SECTION 2. The motor vehicle inventory required by section 6A of chapter 448 of the
64acts of 2016 shall be established not later than 12 months from the effective date of this act.